, 1887-03-25
HARD LIFE AMONG THE TUBS,
How Large Families arc Supported by
the Use of tho Wnshboard.

1ahc ah Idol u way CdI, ltUCn u
compass unto the classic regions of Cherry
street and there may be penetrated the
very heart Of washwomandom, where
tenement is bound to tenement by closely
i~nterwoven lines of fiuttering wet linen
and h atmosphere is as redolent of
warm soapsuds as the pages of LAS
sommoir." There all ranks and classes
of ~laundresses live, and the stories of
their lives bear out tho claim that there
Is rarely reason any hard working, self
respecting woman should live in ~squalor.
That is what one %laundress said vino had
seven little children to support and had
been in bed for two months with gastric
fever.
"When I'm on my feet, u she declared,
''the children want for nothing and ]
asks favors from nobody. It's been
pretty hard with me here on my back for
two months now, taken down Thanksgiv-
ing day and never up since, but my Sis
tiers is good and helps me and my biggest
girl does all the washing she can and
makes a few dollars. There's no reason
Ia the world why a hard working woman
shouldn't live quite decent and respecta-
BILE on washing-I always did and mean
to agin when I'm well. There's the
children, all like steps, nj he and my
self. He has been out of work for nearly
a year and has Just this week got a
watchman's place, but when there's a big
family like this the woman's got to help.
How many children is there in all?" she
said, turning to the eldest daughter, who
leaned on the foot of the bed and wiped
her wet, red arms on her apron.
The pale, tagged girl went into an alb
struse calculation on her fingers, reckon
ing up an endless number of Tommies
and Susies and Marys, winding up with
the baby, which made seven.
Eyes, sir; seven, and me and him's
nine, and we lived quite respectable all
the year OF $40 the week. How did we
do it? Well, l never counted the money,
but spent it as it came and it always came
out even in the end. For one thing, we
only pays SO a month for this flat, be-
cause I'm the caretaker of the house and
that counts for the rent. Then the chill
dren get q big slice of bread and butter
and a cup of coffee for their breakfast,
meat and some potatoes or cabbage for
their dinner and bread and tea again for
supper. They live quite hearty III that
and go to school regular. Me and the
girl and my husband have a bit of bacon
at night. The coal is the thing that costs
most; it takes a lot of it to heat the irons
and often, in bad weather, all the clothes
has TO be dried in the house. But there's
one thing certain, any woman that does
honest work can live quite nice and COM
Portable on washing if she don't drink;
that's the trouble with most of them"
The sister of the sick woman lived not
fof. n gov and yuaQ npa of flNn oricfOCrotl
of the profession. She had four rooms
and lived there with a young daughter in
much comfort. They had a parlor with
n set of walnut furniture, carpet and fresh
white curtains, with a motto Of God
Bless Our Home" over the mantelpiece.
One neat, bright room was kept entirely
for a laundry and no cooking or sleeping
was done there, as she only took in the
very finest washing, the owners of which
were particular that their clothes should
have no odors. She took in washing from
the big, fashionable flats up town, the
clothes being marvels of dainty luxury,
many of silk and all covered with lace
and embroidery.
Il average about SIS or SIC a week.
she said, land l ask 50 or SO a dozen for
every stitch l take in, for they are all fine
and covered with trimming and takes
extra work. Besides, you've got to be
regular trained to know how to do all
this fine stuff, and 'tisn't every one as
could do them at all. Ne and my
daughter lives quite comfortable and
never wants for anything. We've always
Us much work as we can do and the ladies
pay well and promptly. She can wash
as well as l can and 10 one ever finds
blue streaks in my clothes and l am care
full not to tear the lace or let anything
get widowed, and l don't ask any better
way of earning my living"
The third washerwoman visited was of
colored persuasion and lived quite alone.
"Husband?" she exclaimed. mo, l
amt gotn no husband. l lone tried three
and then l quit; it's as much as l can do
to take care of myself, let lone suppo'tin'
some lazy niger that amt no count
'cepn to carry home the clothes; / kin
hire n boy to do it cheaper. l amt never
had no trouble takin' care myself washin';
no, indeed; I've got money in the savin's
bank and l makes my good $40 a week
regular. You see all them po' white
folks on your way up stairs? Well, they
takes in washin too, but they amt got no
comfort about 'em and they's always in
debt to the groceryman round the corner.
It's drinkin' and laziness what's the
matter with them. Monday 10 o'clock l
got a good part of my clothes hangin' out
to dry, and every day up to Friday I
washes in the mornin' and irons in the
afternoon, but them women, they don't
do a single blessed thing all day Monday.
It's late in the afternoon fore they gets
the soiled clothes here, and then it's
Mrs. Flanagan, dear, come in an have
a glass of beer, do and then she and
Mrs. Flannigap sits down and talks all
the time they're drinkin' it, and Mrs.
Flanagan stands treat next day, and SO
it goes all the week, SO you needn't
wonder to see them poor and dirty and
their room SO nasty l wouldn't sit down
i'll it. Brooklyn Eagle.
Th. Nnrxxartan CnsnIIor-